1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to systems for attaching data cards to pre-addressed mailing forms and, more particularly, to such a system wherein data read from the cards and forms, respectively, is compared to assure attachment of the card to the proper form, such attachment being performed automatically and in an improved matter assuring secure attachment while affording ease of removal of the card from the form by the intended recipient.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art patents which may be pertinent to this invention are as follows:
Sherman, U.S. Pat. No. 2,440,302 PA1 Jory, U.S. Pat. No. 3,484,097 PA1 Blow, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 3,537,703 PA1 Rupp, U.S. Pat. No. 3,804,399 PA1 Zaccogino, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,251 PA1 Funk, U.S. Pat. No. 3,961,281 PA1 Stocker, U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,644 PA1 Goldman, U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,102 PA1 Torok, U.S. Pat. No. 4,004,136.
The patent to Stocker, U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,644 shows an apparatus for stuffing envelopes and specifically for stuffing a card into a pocket formed on a particular type of mailing form designed for use with the apparatus. However, there is no automated matching of credit card information with similar information on the forms.
The patent to Jory, U.S. Pat. No. 3,484,097, teaches the machine attachment of cards onto a carrier webb wherein slots 18 and 22 are provided in the webb structure for reception of an insert card.
The patents to Sherman, U.S. Pat. No. 2,440,302 and Blow, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 3,537,703, show form bursting and separating machines.
The patents to Torok, U.S. Pat. No. 4,004,136 and Goldman, U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,103, disclose matching credit information on a credit card with information of a similar nature stored in the apparatus.
The patent to Funk, U.S. Pat. No. 3,961,781 shows a system for performing a plurality of functions including sheet recognition, marking, folding, sorting, discharging and stacking, etc. together with a programed control for the system; manual overrides of automatic controls are also provided.
The patent to Zaccagnino, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,251, teaches the use of a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED's) together with photosensors for scanning the LED's in a document positioning apparatus.
None of the known prior art devices including those represented by the above prior art patents offers the unique features and advantages of the system of the invention disclosed herein.
Despite the massive volume of mailing of credit, identification and like type cards in today's economy, there has yet to have been provided an effective and efficient means for attaching such cards to mailing forms. The mechanical function of attaching the cards to the form frequently is performed manually, a slow and laborious process. The structure of the mailing forms themselves frequently does not assure secure attachment, with the risk that cards can become detached during subsequent handling, either preliminary to or during mailing or upon opening of the mailing form by the recipient, in every case increasing the possibility of loss of the cards. Forms which assure secure attachment frequently use an adhesive surface to which the card is attached, increasing the cost of the mailing forms as well as introducing handling problems in processing cards and forms. Moreover, subsequent, intended removal of cards from forms is made difficult and frequently the surface of the card, after removal, is contaminated, with adhesive residue. This is both objectionable to the cardholder and detrimental to subsequent intended use of the card.
Mailing forms in common use are of various different configurations; for example, one-part forms simply have the card attached thereto and are inserted into an envelope whereas two-part and three-part forms are folded into reduced size before insertion into an envelope, these forms wrapping about the card and affording greater security against a card detached from the form being lost. One type of folded form includes a window aligned with the window in the mailing envelope, in those cases where the credit card itself bears the mailing address of the recipient and serves as the address visible from the outside envelope. This form is efficient, but increases the likelihood of theft, since it reveals that the envelope contains credit cards. Other such forms may be pre-addressed such that the address on the form is visible through an envelope window, concealing thereby more effectively the contents.
The use of pre-addresed mailing forms, while desirable, has introduced additional problems of assuring proper matching of the pre-embossed and pre-encoded cards with the correct mailing form, with the undesired result that the addressee receives the wrong cards if a mis-match has been made.
The manual assembly of cards with pre-addressed mailing forms is fraught with human error both as to assembly of the correct cards with the proper pre-addressed form and, moreover, of the correct number of cards intended to be sent to the addressee of the form--i.e., especially where the account holder may designate the number of cards which he is to receive.
Prior automated systems have been insufficient or inadequate in satisfying the many necessary functions indicated above. For example, they have failed to provide adequate means to match the correct credit cards, as to addressee and required number thereof, with the proper form in a fully reliable and sufficiently rapid manner. Typically, prior art systems cannot accommodate different types of mailing forms--e.g., one-, two- or three-part forms. Many require precut and presized forms and hence lack the reliability, speed and efficiency achieved by use of forms of a continuous fan-fold strip variety. The latter assure that the proper sequence of successive forms is maintained and avoids feed problems, e.g., feeding two sheets at one time, which occur with precut individual forms. In general, prior art mailing systems lack the necessary control and automated handling functions as are essential to overall effective and efficient operations.